Termes de l'échange, balance commerciale et performances économiques : examen de l'effet Harberger - Laursen - Metzler en République Démocratique du Congo

The main objective of this study is to examine the link between terms of trade and trade balance on the one hand, and terms of trade and economic performance on the other. To answer this question, this paper estimates a VAR model and applies the Granger (1969) causality test to examine these links above during the period 1994-2017. the estimation, causality and impulse response results predict, on the one hand, a negative and statistically insignificant relationship, and a two-way causality between terms of trade and trade balance and, on the other hand, a positive impact, and unidirectional causality of terms of trade shocks on economic performance. Moreover, these results manage to clarify the debate on the HLM effect in the DR

Termes de l'échange, balance commerciale et performances économiques : examen de l'effet Harberger - Laursen - Metzler en République Démocratique du Congo

The main objective of this study is to examine the link between terms of trade and trade balance on the one hand, and terms of trade and economic performance on the other. To answer this question, this paper estimates a VAR model and applies the Granger (1969) causality test to examine these links above during the period 1994-2017. the estimation, causality and impulse response results predict, on the one hand, a negative and statistically insignificant relationship, and a two-way causality between terms of trade and trade balance and, on the other hand, a positive impact, and unidirectional causality of terms of trade shocks on economic performance. Moreover, these results manage to clarify the debate on the HLM effect in the DR

Rôle de la lipoprotéine lipase (LPL) dans l'athérogenèse

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Lipoprotein lipase is frequently overexpressed or translocated in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and promotes invasiveness through the non-catalytic C terminus.

BACKGROUND: We studied the biological significance of genes involved in a novel t(8;12)(p21.3;p13.31) reciprocal translocation identified in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells. METHODS: The rearranged genes were identified by breakpoint mapping, long-range PCR and sequencing. We investigated gene expression in vivo using reverse-transcription PCR and tissue microarrays, and studied the phenotypic consequences of forced gene overexpression. RESULTS: The rearrangement involved lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and peroxisome biogenesis factor-5 (PEX5). Whereas LPL-PEX5 was expressed at low levels and contained a premature stop codon, PEX5-LPL was highly expressed and encoded a full-length chimeric protein (including the majority of the LPL coding region). Consistent with these findings, PEX5 was constitutively expressed in normal cervical squamous cells, whereas LPL expression was negligible. The LPL gene was rearranged in 1 out of 151 cervical SCCs, whereas wild-type LPL overexpression was common, being detected in 10 out of 28 tissue samples and 4 out of 10 cell lines. Forced overexpression of wild-type LPL and PEX5-LPL fusion transcripts resulted in increased invasiveness in cervical SCC cells, attributable to the C-terminal non-catalytic domain of LPL, which was retained in the fusion transcripts. CONCLUSION: This is the first demonstration of an expressed fusion gene in cervical SCC. Overexpressed wild-type or translocated LPL is a candidate for targeted therapy

Advanced glycation end products cause increased CCN family and extracellular matrix gene expression in the diabetic rodent retina

Aims/hypothesis Referred to as CCN, the family of growth factors consisting of cystein-rich protein 61 (CYR61, also known as CCN1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, also known as CCN2), nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (NOV, also known as CCN3) and WNT1-inducible signalling pathway proteins 1, 2 and 3 (WISP1, -2 and -3; also known as CCN4, -5 and -6) affects cellular growth, differentiation, adhesion and locomotion in wound repair, fibrotic disorders, inflammation and angiogenesis. AGEs formed in the diabetic milieu affect the same processes, leading to diabetic complications including diabetic retinopathy. We hypothesised that pathological effects of AGEs in the diabetic retina are a consequence of AGE-induced alterations in CCN family expression. Materials and methods CCN gene expression levels were studied at the mRNA and protein level in retinas of control and diabetic rats using real-time quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry at 6 and 12 weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the presence or absence of aminoguanidine, an AGE inhibitor. In addition, C57BL/6 mice were repeatedly injected with exogenously formed AGE to establish whether AGE modulate retinal CCN growth factors in vivo. Results After 6 weeks of diabetes, Cyr61 expression levels were increased more than threefold. At 12 weeks of diabetes, Ctgf expression levels were increased twofold. Treatment with aminoguanidine inhibited Cyr61 and Ctgf expression in diabetic rats, with reductions of 31 and 36%, respectively, compared with untreated animals. Western blotting showed a twofold increase in CTGF production, which was prevented by aminoguanidine treatment. In mice infused with exogenous AGE, Cyr61 expression increased fourfold and Ctgf expression increased twofold in the retina. Conclusion/interpretation CTGF and CYR61 are downstream effectors of AGE in the diabetic retina, implicating them as possible targets for future intervention strategies against the development of diabetic retinopath

Predictors of Treatment Response to Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor Analog, in HIV-Infected Patients with Excess Abdominal Fat

Tesamorelin, a synthetic analog of human growth hormone-releasing factor, decreases visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with lipodystrophy